French Revolution of 1789: A Comprehensive Account
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French Revolution of 1789
The French Revolution (1789) was a complex process that ended the Ancien Régime and paved the way for a new liberal society and new ways of thinking and living.
Convocation of the Estates-General
King Louis XVI’s minister, Calonne, proposed that the nobility contribute to paying taxes. The nobility refused, leading to a serious political crisis and forcing Louis XVI to convene the Estates-General. This situation fueled widespread discontent, resulting in the creation of so-called Cahiers de doléances (notebooks of grievances). These notebooks highlighted the people’s discontent with the monarchy. Enlightened sectors of the bourgeoisie demanded equal representation in the Estates-General compared to the nobility and clergy.
Events of July 1789: The Outbreak of the Revolution
The Estates-General opened on May 5, 1789, in Versailles. Each estate had one vote. Members of the Third Estate demanded a meeting of all estates with a vote per person. The king and the privileged classes refused, leading to the suspension of the meeting. Representatives of the Third Estate then formed the National Assembly. The Tennis Court Oath marked their pledge to not disperse until a constitution guaranteeing rights was established.
The Third Estate gained the support of part of the clergy and a minority of the nobility. The monarchy became the National Constituent Assembly. When the military arrived in Paris to suppress the Assembly, its members called for mobilization against absolutism. Revolutionaries formed armed forces, the National Guard.
News of this reached Paris, sparking revolt. Farmers refused to pay taxes and demanded punishment for corrupt officials.
National Constituent Assembly
The National Assembly abolished the feudal system (Estates), personal servitude, tithes, feudal rents, and manorial justice. Farmers were required to pay compensation to their former masters. The Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, granting French citizens equal rights, including civil, political, and property rights. The king retained a veto power, allowing him to block legislation. A new territorial division was implemented, along with free trade. Taxes on property increased. Freedom of enterprise was guaranteed, as was the separation of church and state. Divorce was legalized.